Valve mechanism for water-wheels.



C. S. WBNGER.

VALVE MECHANISM EOE WATER WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 12, 1909. 992,309. Patented May 16, 1911.

2 SHEETS-'E HEET 2.

INVENTOR wnNEssE mf UN'EE S VALVE MECHANISM FOR WATER-WHEELS.

T o all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON S. VENGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brownstown, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Water-'VVheels of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to that class of hydraulic motors known as impact or tangential water wheels, and other types of water wheels or motors operated under high heads and similar conditions, and more particularly to that part of the mechanism provided for controlling the flow of water against the vanes or buckets on the wheel, which has generally heretofore been accomplished by deflecting the main discharge nozzle in such a way as to decrease the force and volume of the water delivered against the buckets or to entirely pass them, but by this method there is great loss of water and the variations of pressure and impact are sudden; while still other devices designed for this purpose, and by which the flow of ,water is automatically cut off are not satisfactory owing to the sudden stoppage of the water, which being conveyed to the wheel under great pressure and t-he out-let or discharge being suddenly closed or semi-closed, the sudden excess of pressure, thus created, is liable to burst the pipe or cause what is known as a water hammer.

The objects of my invention are to produce a valve mechanism comprising a main or discharge valve attached to a stationary discharge nozzle and a compensating or supplemental valve, connected by suitable automatic operating mechanism, whereby as the main valve in the stationary discharge nozzle is partially closed by the action of suitable mechanism controlled by the governor operated by the impact water wheel, the compensating valve is opened in proportion and simultaneously with the closing of the main valve and is then gradually closed to entirely shut off the flow of water, or if the compensating valve is open andthe main valve is being opened at the same time, the operating mechanism will close the compensating valve and when said valve is closed the mechanism ceases to act upon said valve, except to effect its opening as the main valve is again closed, thus allowing of fine adjustment of water impact against the buckets Specification of Letters Patent.

App1caton led March 12, 1909.

Patented May 16, 1911.

serial No. 482,921.

and a gradual cut off of the water, which will obviate all water hammer or danger caused by sudden stoppage of the water flow.

/Vith these and other objects in view my invention consists in certain construction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be fully described and claimed in the annexed specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which like figures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of the views, but it is -fully understood that while I have described and claimed my invention as here illustrated, I do not confine myself to the exactdesign as shown, as slight changes may be made in the construction and combination of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation, showing the position of the apparatus when both valves are aboutI one-half open. Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3, is a detail view of the tension yoke. Fig. 4, is a detail view of the spur and worm gears.

Referring to the drawings, l provide a suitable casing or water chamber 1, attached to the end of the water main 2. Said water chamber 1, being formed with a main discharge nozzle 3, set at the proper inclination with relation to the buckets 4, of the impact water wheel 5, to produce the maximum amount of power under a full head of water; while below said main discharge nozzle 3, is placed a supplemental nozzle 6, which is inclined so that the water therefrom does not come into contact with the buckets 4, of the impact wheel 5, but will discharge without contact with said water wheel.

The two nozzles 8, and 6, are supplied with the valve stems 7, and 8, respectively, which are formed with the needle points 9, and 10, for closing the nozzle openings; said valve stems are slidably mounted within the stufling boxes 11, and 12, and are operated by the mechanism provided therefor, and

hereinafter fully described, and which comprises a. slide bearing bracket 13, secured upon a suitable framework 14, and which forms a guide for the valve stem 7. Upon a higher point of said frame 14, is secured a bearing bracket 15, within which is pivotally mounted the bell-crank 16, to the lower arm of which is pivoted a connecting link 17, which is connected to the end of the valve stem 7 while to the upper arm of said bellcrank 16, is pivoted the connecting link 18, which connects with a lever 19, which is attached to the governor stem 20, in such a manner that by the action of the governor 22, (as operated by the water wheel 5,) said governor stem 20, will be raised or lowered and thus operate the bell-crank 16, and its connecting levers, thus withdrawing or advancing the main valve stem 7, which controls the impact discharge nozzle 3. The compensating valve stem 8, is extended and has anouter bearing 23, within which it is slidably mounted and retained from revolving by a feather 24, engaged by a keyway in said bearing. Upon said valve stem 8, is rigidly secured a collar 25, which is provided with a ball race 26, and balls 27 to form a thrust bearing for the worm sleeve 28, which is rotatably mounted upon said valve stem 8, with its forward end in contact with said thrust bearing and its rear portion, which is in the form of a friction clutch cone 29, and which is adapted to be engaged by a friction clutch socket 30, formed in the forward end of a gear sleeve 31, which is rotatably mounted upon said valve stem 8. Adj acent to said gear sleeve 31, and rotatably secured upon said valve stem 8, is a sleeve 32, which is formed at its forward end with a flange containing a thrust ball bearing 33, designed to eliminate the. frictional thrust of the gear sleeve 31; and also has a coiled tension spring 35, which embraces said sleeve 32. Upon the valve stem 8, and adjacent to the sleeve 32, is secured the collar 37, by the set screw 3G, said collar 37 is provided with the upwardly and forwardly projecting arm 38, and to the end of which is pivoted the upper end of a yoke arm 39, which embraces the sleeve 32, and is in contact with said spring 35, and is provided with the bosses 40, which bear against the shoulder formed by the bearing flange 33. The lower end of said yoke arm 39, is extended downward and the action of said yoke 39, as actuated by the spring 35, is limited by a tension screw 41, which is mounted in a suitable bracket 42.

Meshing with and driving the gear sleeve 31, is a pinion 43, which is secured upon and rotated by a shaft 44, mounted in a suitable bearing 45, secured to the frame 14; said shaft 44, being driven continuously and at a constant rate of speed by any suitable connection (not shown herewith) to a source of power.

Between the valve stem 7, and the worm 28, is rotatably mounted a transverse shaft 46, in suitable bearings 47, secured to the frame 14; while upon said shaft 46, is secured the worm wheel 48, which is mounted on a center line with the axis of the worm 28, and is in mesh therewith; while also upon said shaft 4G, and rigidly secured to said worm wheel 48, is the spur gear 49,

which is mounted to one side of said worm wheel 48, and is in mesh with a rack 50, which is secured upon said valve stem 7, and to one side thereof.

The operation of the device as a whole is as follows: The pinion 43, being rotated continuously at a constant speed, the gear sleeve 3l, is therefore constantly rotated thereby. Assuming that the main valve stem 7, is partly withdrawn and the impact discharge valve 3, about one-half open as indicated on the accompanying drawings, and that the water wheel has attained a greater velocity than is desired; (the governor having been adjusted to operate at this excess of sp-eed) the stem 20', of said governor is raised, thus operating the bell-crank 1G, and its attached levers and advancing the valve stem 7, thus decreasing the discharge of water through the nozzle 3; while at the same time, and at the same speed that said valve stem is being advanced by the levers, the spur gear 49, is slightly rotated by the rack 50, and as the worm wheel 48, is rigid with the spur gear 49, it is rotated therewith, and as it is in mesh with the worm 28, it forces said worm 28, rearwardly and brings the friction cone 29, and socket 39, into engagement, and as the gear sleeve 31, is being constantly revolved, as soon as the worm 28, becomes locked with it, the worm is also revolved, but as the action or speed of the gear 31, is timed much slower than the speed of the worm wheel 48, the valve stem 8, and the mechanism carried thereon is withdrawn, the valve stem 8, sliding in the bearing 23, and stuffing box 12, and the teeth of the gear sleeve 31, sliding through the teeth of the pinion 43; while at the same time being revolved. thereby; but the instant that the valve st-em 7, has become closed to the proper point the gears 48, and 49, cease. to revolve and the worm wheel 48, acts as a spur wheel engaging the teeth of' the worm 28, which being rotated by the gear 31, starts at once to advance the valve stem 8, and gradually close the nozzle 6; while at the instant that said valve 6, becomes closed the tension spring 35, which has become compressed by the advance of the collar 37, against the yoke 39, bringing said yoke 39, into contact with the stop screw 41, retarding its further advance and releasing the tension of said yoke 39, against mechanism will slowly close the valve 6,

or again instantly respond to any movements of the valve stem 7, as actuated by the governor.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a hydraulic regulating means, the combination with the hydraulic motor, of a governor, a water chamber provided with an impact discharge nozzle and a compensating nozzle, valve stems mounted in said nozzles for ope-ning and closing the same, means for actuatingsaid discharge valve stem automatically by the action of said governor, means for withdrawing the compensating valve stem in proportion to the advance of the discharge valve stem, comprising a rack secured to said discharge valve stem, a spur gear mounted upon a transverse shaft between said valve stems and in engagement with said rack, a worm sleeve mounted upon said compensating valve stem, a worm gear mounted upon said transverse shaft and rigid with said spur gear and in engagement with said worm sleeve, and means for rotating said worm sleeve.

2. In a hydraulic regulating means, the combination with the hydraulic motor, of a governor, an impact discharge nozzle and a compensating nozzle, valves and valve stems for opening and closing said nozzles, means for operating the discharge valve controlled by the governor, means for imparting the motion of said discharge valve stem to said compensating valve stem in proper proportion thereto, means for actuating said compensating valve stem independent of said discharge valve, comprising compensating mechanism, consisting of a worm sleeve rotatably mounted upon said compensating valve stem, a gear sleeve rotatably mounted upon said valve stem adjacent to said worm sleeve, the adjacent ends of said slee-ves formed with an interlocking clutch, a thrust bearing secured upon said valve stem to limit the forward action of said worm sleeve, a thrust bearing sleeve secured upon said valve stem to limit the rearward action of said gear sleeve, means for constantly rotating said gear sleeve, and means for automatically releasing the worm sleeve from said gear sleeve.

3. In an impact water motor, in combination with a motor, of a governor operated by said motor, a discharge nozzle and operating valve, a compensating nozzle and operating valve, means for opening and closing said discharge valve by the action ot the governor, means for opening said compensating valve by the closing of the discharge valve, and automatic means for closing said compensating valve after said discharge valve has ceased to act; comprising a worm sleeve rotatably mounted upon said compensating valve stem, a gear sleeve rotatably mounted upon said stem adjacent to said worm sleeve, the abutting ends of said sleeve provided with an interlocking clutch, a thrust bearing secured upon said compensating valve stem in front of said worm sleeve, a thrust bearing sleeve secured upon said valve stem in the rear of said gear sleeve to limit the lateral action of said sleeves, a yoke embracing said bearing sleeve, 1 a tension spring surrounding said sleeve and in engagement with said yoke, and a tension screw for limiting the action of said yoke.

4f. In a compensating mechanism for a water motor, a supplemental discharge valve, a valve operating mechanism for said supplemental valve stem comprising a worm rotatably mounted upon said valve stem, a gear rotatably mounted upon said valve stem adjacent to said worm, a clutch detachably securing said worm and said gear, means for rotating said gear, means for actuating said clutch and means for releasing said worm from said gear upon the expiration of the forward movement of said valve stem.

In testimony whereof I ailiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v CLAYTON S. WENGER.

Vitnesses:

T. ROBERTS APPEL, MABEL L. LEFEVRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

